The QED Four

Chapter 2: The Unveiling of the Letter Sender

   I can feel the awkward ambience habang kumakain kami. I'm with someone na ilang beses ko ng sinabihan na hindi ko pinagkakatiwalaan at isang kaklase na hindi ko naman talaga lubos na kilala. Kahit pala ganito kasarap ang pagkain, parang ang hirap hirap kumain ng magana... well except kay Loki. Ewan ko ba dahil sa kanya ko mismo na adopt yung mga unhealthy eating habits nung magkasama pa kami at madalas pa nga ay di s'ya kumakain, but now parang wala lang sa kanya ang nangyari kanina.

"So mister seatmate, sa inyong magkaklase sino ang matagal mo ng kakilala?" Kunot ang noong lumingon si Richard sa kanya.

"Hmmm...kung yung mga talagang kakilala ko lang ang pag-uusapan, tatlo sila bale. And I do hope na magiging apat na..." halos mabilaukan ako dahil sa huli n'yang sinabi. He intentionally whispered those last remarks, sending me clues that that is meant for me.

"I'm quite worried that it won't be four." Agad namang napadako ang aking paningin sa seryosong mukha ni Loki. "After this case, your circle of friends may not be the same again."

"Wait lang bro. Sinasabi mo ba na ang may gawa nito kay Lori ay mismong mga kaibigan ko?" Maging ako ay nagulat rin sa sinabing iyon ni Loki. Masyadong masakit na malaman yun sa part ni Richard.

"If that's the case, are you willing to cooperate with us?" 

" It's the right thing to do, so yes. At kung tama man ang sinasabi mo, ibig sabihin lang nun ay isa sa mga taong pinagkakatiwalaan ko ang nangugulo kay Lori. The question is, why? Bago lang si Lori sa school at mabait s'ya kahit na madalas ay di s'ya kumikibo. Anong motibo para gawin to sa kanya?" Iniikot ni Richard ang paningin na para bang iwinawaksi sa kanyang isip na posibleng isa sa mga kaibigan nya ang may gawa ng lahat ng ito.

"Motive? That's a good question! Paano nga bang ang isang bagong lipat lang na estudyante na wala namang kinalaman sa kanyang mga nasa paligid ay nakakatanggap ng mga threats? Hindi kaya sa dati n'yang school? O baka naman mayroon s'yang kaaway? Pero paanong ang isang baguhan ay magkakaroon ng kaaway? Hindi kaya insecurity? O baka naman dahil sa isang taong madalas n'yang makasalamuha na gugustuhin ng lahat na makasama rin?" 

Now if we try to process his reasoning, it's quite impossible for someone from my former school to plot revenge on me here. At gaya ng sinabi n'ya, I don't have any business with my classmates- pwera na lang siguro kay Jenny at Hannah na lagi akong ininvolve sa mga lakad nila. Hindi rin naman kailangan mainsecure sakin dahil hindi naman ako ganoon kaganda at kung maiinsecure man sila, siguro dahil na yun sa...

Teka. Taong nakakasalamuha? Hindi kaya...

"So, it's because of me? Dahil katabi ko si Lori and people notices that I'm giving her attention kaya nangyari ito?"

"I'm impressed. Matalino ka pala? Tama ka, if we use the process of elimination ang possible reason lang ng lahat ng ito ay pakikipaglapit sa kanya ng isang sikat na tao gaya mo." So it's a problem with one of his fans? Tsk! Kasalanan ko bang magkatabi ang upuan namin at kasalanan ko bang makulit ang lahi nitong si Richard at ako ang ginugulo n'ya?

"I'm sorry, Lori. Now I am more willing to help. Pasensya na kung dahil sakin ay ganito ang nangyari sayo."

"It's not your fault. Ang kailangan lang ay makilala natin kung sino sa tatlong malapit sayo ang may gawa nito." Agad naman akong bumaling sa lalaking nasa harap ko, "Teka Loki. Paanong nangyari na isa sa tatlong kakilala n'ya ang may gawa nito? I mean, medyo madami kami sa loob ng klase and I don't have a doubt na isa sa mga kablock ko yun since ilan sa mga picture ay sa mismong classroom kinunan."

Ginantihan lamang ako nito ng isang ngiti at tumayo na ito. Don't tell me ililihim n'ya na naman ang kung ano mang natuklasan n'ya?

"This is my basis." Kapagkuwa'y turo n'ya ng makalapit s'ya akin. Huh? Ano namang meron sa picture ko na yun?

"Asan? Wala naman ah?" Kahit pq qta baligtarin ko ang picture ay wala pa rin.

"See this line here?" turo n'ya sa maliit na linya na nasa ibabang bahagi ng picture. Hindi ito ganoon kalinaw kaya hindi gaanong mapapansin, "to confirm my suspicion. Bakat lamang yan ng mismong sulat na nandito..." pagkatapos ay itinuro naman n'ya ang pinakababang bahagi ng envelope. Meron itong maliliit na drawing, yung para bang mga dice na makikita sa mga abstract reasoning sa exam. Isa bang clue ang dice na ito?

Agad akong napatayo at kinuha ang ilan pang envelope, at gaya ng ipinakita sakin ni Loki ay may drawing din ito.

"That is Dice Cipher. And since it's difficult to look at the red ink placed in red paper, I rewrite it. Here take a look." Agad naman kaming tumayo ni Richard at sinundan s'ya sa sofa na inuupuan nya kanina.

No matter how I tried to turn the paper upside-down, I could not comprehend how Loki was able to say his deductions. I don't like abstract reasoning, and this one really resembles it. Ugh! 

" If you will decipher it, that means 'Chad is mine, Bitch'. So, do you have any guess as to this psycho's identity?" In normal situation, I would say that calling someone 'psycho' is rude, but since the sender dared to call me 'bitch', I think 'psycho' suits her best! Grrr.

" As I have said, I got three close friends, Niana Ignacio, Julianne Valdez, and Katelyn Dela Peña." Bahagya akong nagulat na puro babae pala ang tinutukoy n'ya kaninang circle of friends. "Not to mention my former best buddy, Jonathan Silva."

"Care to share bits of info about them?" Loki asked impatiently.

" Niana is my childhood friend, we've been together since we were five and I may say that she's more of a younger sister to me. Julie, she's my cousin na nakilala ko lang when I was high school, galing kasi s'yang Canada kaya noon lang kami nagkaroon ng chance na maging close. Kate, is a good friend of mine and well... uh... she's also my ex-girlfriend." Could that be the clue? Katelyn was his ex-girlfriend, she might not have totally moved on kaya nagagalit s'ya sakin. But if it is true, then why be friends with your ex? I mean, if you are on the process of moving on you may not want to see or hear anything of your ex, but in this case, Kate and Richard remain friends so that could mean that they've both moved on.

"What about this Jordan Silva? You say 'Former' best buddy, why is that so?" For the nth time, I want to correct Loki that it's Jonathan and not Jordan, but knowing him, he wouldn't care about 'someone unimportant's name' and that is according to him.

" He was my best buddy, but then I found out that he's not what I knew. One day- as I remember it right, when Kate and I were officially together, he just appeared in my house- drunk and broke- telling me that I'm so numb not to notice his feelings for me. Of course I was in rage, all this years he deceived me. I'm a homophobic so may guess what I did then." And now that's a real plot twist. This Jonathan, based on Richard's narration, have a motive to send me threats. He was drunken when he confessed his feelings to Richard and that is because he found out that the guy he likes were already in a relationship.

" I fear that this is a more complex case than I thought. If you are already done with your meal, you may now take your leave Ricky. Lorelei and I have something to discuss."

"I'm Richard, not Ricky. But in case you didn't remember, I said that I intend to stay, so I will."

And this is indeed the longest night in my life, thanks for this two.

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Author's note:

Sorry for the late update, my wattpad isn't working these past few months.

And I also wanna say, "Thank you" for those who are reading this and making votes. Highly appreciated! *Sending virtual hug~

XOXO